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(No Model.)

J. S. BULLARD. SHOE.

No. 538,440. Patented Apr. 30, 189-5.

\A/ITNESS E5 UNrTno STATES JOEL S. BULLARD, OF SPENCER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO E. JONES &

00., or SAME PLACE.

SHOE.

STECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,440, dated April 30, 1895.

Application filed January 25, 1894- Serial No. 1 N model. i

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OEL S. BULLARD, of Spencer, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionhas for its object to provide an inexpensive shoe, adapted to be easily put on and taken 06, and, when in place, to effectually exclude sand from its interior.

The invention consists in the hereinafterdescribed improvements, embodied in a shoe the upper of which is so formed above the vamp that it permanently fits the instep of the foot and is enlarged or made full above the instep, so that it offers no resistance to the application and removal of the shoe, and is adapted to be gathered or folded neatly and symmetrically against the front of the leg or ankle, above the instep and there confined so as to exclude sand and other foreign matter.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side view, and Fig. 2 atop view, of my improved shoe when not in use. Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the front piece of the leg or ankle portion of the upper. Fig. 4 represents a side View, and Fig. 5 a top View, showing the shoe as secured to the foot.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention, I make a shoe, the upper of which comprises a vamp a of ordinary form; two quarters b b, unitedat their rear edges byaheel-seam c; and a single frontpiece d; said quarters and front-piece being stitched together and to the vamp and made of such height that they cover and extend above the ankle, and constitute a short leg, which is continuous, or in other words extends continuously around the ankle without any opening or break in its continuity.

The front-piece d is crimped, or molded so that its lower end has a forward projection 61, formed to permanently fit the instep immediately above the vamp. Besides the crimped or molded projection d the front piece 61 includes the side portions d d which are formed to bear on the sides of the foot and leg forward of the ankle, and the foldable central portion 01 which is located above the projection d and imparts sufficient fullness to the leg formed by the pieces 1) h and d to enable the shoe to be applied and removed very freely.

The side portions 01 d are provided with fastening members which are adapted to confine the central portion d in plaits or folds as shown in Fig. 5. Said fastening devices are attached to, the forward parts of the side portions d so that the folds at the junction of the side portions with the central portion cannot be located too far back because said folds cannot be made behind the points of attachment of the fastening devices, but must be in advance of said points as indicated by the dotted line a: 00 in Fig. 1. The fastening devices therefore, serve as guides by which to fold the front piece preparatory to contracting the leg portion. As here shown, said fastening-devices are composed of slotted plates e e, riveted to one of the side portions (1 and plates f attached to the opposite side portion, said plates f having tongues adapted to engage the slots of the plates 6, the whole constituting a well known fastening device, which is rendered adjustable by the plurality of tongue recei-ving slots with which each plate 6 is provided, so that the leg-portion can be contracted more or less tightly and can be conformed to the size of the wearers ankle.

Other suitable fastening-devices, such as lacings and lacing-studs or hooks, may be employed, instead of the devicesshown.

The continuity of the leg, or the absence of any openings therein, enables it to effectually exclude sand, 850., while the fastening-devices, attached directly to the frontpiece,

make external flaps or wing-pieces unnecessary, so that the number of parts is reduced to the minimum.

The instep-fitting projection'd formed on the lower portion of the front piece enables the front piece to fit the instep without the foldsorwrinklesthatoccuraboveit. Inother words the said projection obviates the necessity of extending said folds down to the vamp, so that the shoe is not only more comfortable but presents a neater appearance than would be the case if the shoe were constructed to re quire the folding of the entire length of the front piece, including the instep portion.

I claim I A shoe comprising the vamp a, quarters or 5 back pieces I) b, the single or integral front piece d, having the crimped or molded instepfitting projection d the side portions d d and the full or foldable central portion 01 located above the projection 01', and fastening :0 devices upon each side of the front piece extending upward and backward from the forward crimped edge thereof and adapted to confine the central portion in a series of folds, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 15th day of January, A. D. 1894.

JOEL S. BULLARD.

Witnesses:

O. B. TORREY, GEO. L. BULLARD. 

